Apparatus for stamping checks.



No. 787,369. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

- P. WpFULLER;

APPARATUS FOR STAMPING CHECKS.

APPLIOATION PILED JULY 16.1904.

UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR STAMPING CHECKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110- 787,369, dated April18, 1905.

Application filed July 16, 1904. Serial No. 216,852.

in the county of Suffolk and State of A l-RS837.

chusetts,have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Stamping Checks,850., of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of apparatusparticularly adapted to facilitate the work of stamping or otherwiseputting a distinguishing mark on checks in a bank.

Many banking institutions now use some form of computing or addingmachine to aid the clerks in adding up the face values of checks cominginto the bank in the usual order of business. The clerk in charge ofsuch work takes up one check after another from a pile face up, notesits face value, and sets the adding-machine to the corresponding amount,after which he takes up a hand-stamp and stamps the check, usually onthe back, and then operates the adding-machine to cause the amount justset to be added into the sum total. This op eration is repeated for eachcheck, and it will be seen that the clerk must pick up the stamp,operate it, and lay it down every time he takes up a check to read itsvalue and set the adding-machine. WV hen a great many checks must bethus handled, the work is tedious and tiresome.

In my efforts to reduce the work involved I have-invented a stampingmechanism which is so constructed and arranged as to be operated by orthrough the operation of the adding-machine after the latter has beenset for each check. By such arrangement the clerk is relieved of theduty of picking up, operating, and laying down the stamping device foreach check, the work is greatly facilitated, and it is much lessburdensome.

It will be understood that in many forms of computing or adding machinesthe same must first be set for the amount or number to be added and thenoperated, either by movement of a handle, lever, or other device, tocause the amount to be added to the total, so that in any event themanipulation of the adding-machine is not altered by my invention. Ihave, however, made the construction such that the operation of theadding-machine causes a simultaneous and automatic operation of thestamping device.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a check-stamping device embodying oneform of my invention in operative connection with a counting or addingmachine, the parts being shown in normal position. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectional detail of the yielding connection betweenthe stamping or canceling device and the actuating means therefor.

A base-plate 1 has erected upon it rigid upright standards 2 and 3, inwhich is rotatably mounted a rock-shaft 4, having at its ri hthand end,Fig. 2, a depending arm 5 fixed upon it, a second shorter arm 6 beingalso secured to the shaft and projecting rearwardly therefrom.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the standard 2, is mounted directly upon thebase-plate 1; but

the standard 3 is secured to the top of a box is shown as comprising along rod 11, slidable through the opening 9 at its lower portion, and atube 12, into which the upper portion of the rod is slidably extended,the tube sliding in the opening 8 the rod having an enlarged head 13 atthe upper end of the tube. The two parts of the stamp-carrier are thustelescopically connected, a spring 14:, attached at one end to the arm 8and at its other end to the lower part of the rod 11, acting to normally maintain the carrier elevated in the position shown.

A block 15 is rigidly secured to the tube 12 below the arm 8 and isslidably connected with of the topmost check and sets the addingtheguide-rod 10, the latter passing loosely through an opening 16 in theblock, (see Fig. 3,) and one end of a radius-bar 17 is connected by aslot-and-pin connection 18 19 with the block, the other end of theradius-bar being .fulcrumed at 20 on the standard 3, as shown in Fig. 1.One end of a link 21 is pivoted at 22 to the radius-bar, and its otherend is pivotally connected at 23 with the rocker-arm 6, so that when theshaft & is rocked the radiusbar will be swung up and down, therebysliding the tube vertically in the arm 8.

Below the block 15 a collar 24 is adjustably secured to the rod 11 by aset-screw 25, Fig. 1, and a spring 26 is interposed between the collarand an internal shoulder 12 in the tube 12, Fig. 3, a block 27, slidablyconnected with the guide-rod 10, being rigidly attached to the rod 11below the collar by a suitable set-screw 28, the detailed constructionbeing clearly shown in Fig. 3.

At the lower end of the rod 11 below the arm 9 I. attach a stamp orcanceling device S, which may be of any suitable character, and herein Ihave illustrated a self-inking stamp of well-known character, itsconstruction being so familiar that no detailed description thereof isnecessary.

W hen the shaft L is turned to depress the arm 6, the free end of theradius-bar 17 will be swung down and the tube 12 and rod 11 of thestamp-carrier will be lowered, the spring 26 causing them to movetogether, stretching the spring 11.

If a pile of checks (or other papers) to be stamped or canceled areplaced upon the box 7 in the pathof the stamp S, the descent of thecarrier will bring the stamp-frame into engagement with the topmostcheck, and as the movement of the carrier is continued the stamp properwill be impressed upon the check.

The casing of the adding-machine is indicated at (,3, Figs. 1 and 2, andas such machine 7m) at forms no part of my invention it is onlynecessary to state that the computation or addition is effected byswinging the arm 0* in the direction of arrow 100. Fig. 1, after themachine has been set.

As shown in Fig. 2, the usual handle (1 of the arm 0* has slipped uponit a tube or sleeve 0, rigidly secured to one end of a link 0 preferablymade adjustable in the direction of its length to take up wear or adjustthe parts of the apparatus, the other end of the link being pivotallyconnected at 0 with the rockerarm 5.

The top of the box 7 is shown in Fig. 2 as provided with a pad 30 in thepath of movement of the stamp S, and upright pins 31 are arranged aboutthe pad to form guides between which to stack up the checks.

The operator places the pile of checks before him face upward and henotes the value machine correspoi'idingly, after which he lifts thecheck from the pile and lays it face down on the pad 30 between theguides. He then pulls the arm 0 toward. him, actuating theadding-machine, and through the intervening connections described thefront eud of the radius-bar is depressed and the stamp-carrier is moveddownward to cause the stamp S to mark or stamp the checks. Release ofthe arm 0 permits the parts to return to normal position, the spring 14:lifting the stamp-car rier and stamp, and the described operation isrepeated with the next check on the pile. As the pile of unstampedchecks decreases the pile on the pad 30 increases in depth, so that thedownward throw of the stamp S gradually decreases; but the spring 26 iscorrespondingly compressed more and more, so that the radius-bar makesits full strike every time the adding-machine is operated. Thus by thespring connection between the telescopic members 11 and 12 of thecarrier the latter is enabled to perform its proper functionirrespective of the thickness or depth of the pile of checks beneath it.The head 1?) on the member 11 cooperates with the upper end of thetubular member 12 to prevent the expansion of the spring 26 from drawingthe upper end of the member 11 into the tube.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement of the apparatus herein shown and described nor to anyparticular form of adding-machine, the gist of my inventioncomprehending a stamping mechanism operatively connected with andactuated by or through the operation of an adding-machine to make thesame stamp or impression upon one after another of a number of checks,the stamped impression having no bearing upon the summation orcomputation effected by the operation of the adding instrumentality.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. 1n apparatus of the character specified, an adding or computinginstrumentality for adding amounts represented by checks, at stampingmechanism extraneous thereto and including a stamp having a permanentimpression-face to impress one check after another as the checks aremanually superposed in a pile, and operating connections between thestamping mechanism and the adding instrumentality, whereby the former isoperated by or through actuation of the adding instrumentality to stampthe topmost check on the pile.

2. In apparatus of the character specilied, a stamp having a permanentimpression-face, a reciprocating carrier therefor, means to reciprocatethe carrier, an adding or computing instrumentality having an actuatingmember, and operating connections between the latter each actuation ofsaid instrumentality.

3. The combination of a stamping-machine for stamping checks havingtheir amounts previously indicated thereon, an adding-machine for addingthe amounts indicated on the checks and connecting mechanism foroperating the stamping mechanism when the adding mechanism is operated.

4:. In apparatus of the character specified, a stamp, a reciprocatingcarrier to which it is attached, a radius-bar connected with thecarrier, an adding instrumentality having an actuating member, andconnections between said member and the radius-bar to swing the latterand operate the stamp-carrier when the adding instrumentality isoperated.

5. In apparatus of the character specified, a stamp, a reciprocatingcarrier to which it is attached, an adding instrumentality having anactuating member, and connections between the latter and thestamp-carrier, said connections including means to permit uniformmovement of said connections irrespective of the length of the stroke ofthe stamp-carrier.

6. In apparatus of the character specified, a stamp, a two-part carriertherefor, a support in which the carrier is reciprocalole, a springconnection between the parts of the carrier and permitting a relativelongitudinal movement of such parts, an adding instrumentality having amanually-controlled actuating member, and operating connections betweensaid member and the carrier to operate the latter simultaneously withactuation of said instrumentality.

7. In apparatus of the character specified, a stand having bearings oneabove the other and a rigid upright guide therebetween, a stamp, alongitudinally extensible carrier therefor vertically slidable in thebearings, blocks slidable on the guide and attached to the carrier, aspring connection between the parts of the latter, an addinginstrumentality having a handle to actuate it, a rock-shaft connectedwith the handle, to be rocked when said instrumentality is actuated, andmeans intermediate the rock-shaft and stamp-carrier to operate thelatter when the shaft is rocked.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

FRANK IV. FULLER.

I/Vitnesses:

JOHN G. EDWARDS, MARGARET A. DUNN.

